Briefs/Area

April 06, 2006

SOFTBALL

Akron Zips by ND

The Notre Dame softball team (20-11) lost its first game in over two weeks with a 4-2 setback to Akron (12-14) at Ivy Field on Wednesday. Notre Dame's offense doomed itself in the contest, posting just one infield hit until the team was able to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Freshman Brittney Bargar took the loss for the Irish. Bargar allowed three runs on three consecutive hits with two outs in the top of the third inning and the Zips tacked on an insurance run in the fifth. SOFTBALL

Belles get split at Hope

Kristen Amran pitched a two-hitter to allow the Saint Mary's (14-6, MIAA 3-1) softball team to gain a win in the second game over host Hope (12-5, MIAA 3-1) 1-0. Martha Smid had three of the five hits for the Belles in the win. Saint Mary's got outscored 5-2 in the opening game.

SAINT MARY'S 2-1, HOPE 5-0At Holland, Michigan

Saint Mary's 001 001 0 -- 2 5 2 Hope 003 020 x -- 5 7 1

Guisbert (W) and Kylee Bouwer; Bridget Grall (L) and Martha Smid. Second Game

Quinn loses PIT opener

Former Notre Dame point guard Chris Quinn did a little of everything but win Wednesday in the opening game of the 54th annual Portsmouth (Va.) Invitational Tournament. Looking to open the eyes of NBA scouts this week, Quinn finished with seven points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals in 26 minutes. He also had four fouls and one turnover. His Tidewater Sealants team was beaten by Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 84-75. Former Pittsburgh guard Carl Krauser scored 11 points and had a game-high 12 assists in 30 minutes for the winners. Quinn, who started at point guard, plays on a team that also includes Cincinnati's Eric Hicks and Justin Gray of Wake Forest. Former Irish power forward Torin Francis, also in Portsmouth, plays his first game tonight for the Norfolk Sports Club. The tournament runs through Saturday. BASKETBALL

Ten locals among stars

Ten area players were among the top 100 senior boys chosen by Hoosier Basketball Magazine. The ten, who will also participate in the Top 40 workout at Indianapolis Pike High School on April 30, are Tyler Brown (Penn), Colin Clemens (Warsaw), Craig Heatherly (Mishawaka), Jonathan Jamerson (Washington), David Lash (Tippecanoe Valley), Ryne Lightfoot (NorthWood), Adam Richie (North Judson), Kevin Sindle (Elkhart Memorial), Luke Smith (Rochester), and Jon Workman (Lakeland). Concord's Dairese Gary and Caleb Laidig of Penn were selected as part of the Indiana Junior All-Star basketball team chosen by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. They will be part of the North 6 group that will compete against the Indiana All-Star team on June 20. Elkhart Memorial's Steve Johnson will serve as one of the assistant coaches for the junior squad. BASKETBALL

Bales to lead Bluejays

Former North Judson High and Bethel College standout Ryan Bales has been named the head boys basketball coach at North Judson High School. A 1995 graduate of North Judson, Bales replaces Jamie Kolkmeier, who stepped down after posting a six-year mark of 59-70. Bales returns to his alma mater after posting a 10-11 mark in his first season as the top man at Caston High School. BASKETBALL

Bibler steps down

After 16 years on the job, Scott Bibler has called it quits as the head football coach at Tippecanoe Valley High School. During his stay, Bibler compiled a 98-68 record, leading the Vikings to a Class 2-A sectional crown in 1992. BASKETBALL

Express Correction

Because of a source error, the opponents for the first three Elkhart Express home basketball games were incorrect on Page C3 of Wednesday's Tribune. The Express will play Vancouver tonight, Lansing Friday and West Virginia Friday, April 14. TENNIS

Irish finally beat Wildcats

Sophomore Brook Buck upset a top-25 player to clinch a 4-3 victory for the second-ranked Notre Dame women's tennis team (19-1) against its biggest rival, No. 9 Northwestern (13-4), Wednesday afternoon. With the victory, the Irish snapped a seven-match losing streak against the Wildcats.

Foote paces Irish win

Crysti Foote scored four goals, and Mary Carpenter and Heather Ferguson scored two each to lead 10th-ranked Notre Dame to a 13-6 road win over Ohio State on Wednesday. The Irish (10-1) also got goals from Caitlin McKinney, Alicia Billings, Jane Stockert, Brittany Fox and Meghan Murphy. LACROSSE

Walsh Player of Week

Notre Dame senior attackman Pat Walsh has been named the Great Western Lacrosse League Player of the Week for March 27-April 2. Walsh tallied two goals and assisted on six others as the eighth-ranked Irish captured wins over Brown, 11-5, and Dartmouth, 8-7. It is the second career GWLL Player of the Week honor for Walsh, who is the only three-time All-America honoree in program history.